


Second Choice

by costumepartyfiction



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Implied Lapis Lazuli/Peridot (Steven Universe), Past Pearl/Rose Quartz (Steven Universe)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-06 12:57:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14057466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/costumepartyfiction/pseuds/costumepartyfiction
Summary: Amethyst and Pearl once had a relationship based entirely on Pearl's need to prove to Rose that she wasn't jealous of Greg. Amethyst has always had a crush on Pearl, but thinks she's only Pearl's Second Choice





	1. Part One

__

Amethyst fiddled with her hair. The Crystal Gems had just gotten back from a mission and Rose was off with Greg, which meant Pearl was coming to find her. 

 

All throughout the mission, Pearl had ignored Amethyst’s attempts to impress her, because she was too busy trying to impress Rose. Amethyst knew what was going on. Didn’t mean she liked it much. 

 

The purple gem had it bad for the tall, slender, ballerina-like gem. Really bad. When she thought about it she figured she’d had a crush on Pearl since the moment Garnet, Pearl, and Rose found her in the Kindergarten. She’d been alone in there for a long time, having popped out to discover there was no one there but regular Earth rocks. She instinctively knew she was an Amethyst. She wasn’t totally sure what that meant. Rose said Quartzes on Homeworld were elite soldiers, but on Earth they could be whatever they wanted to be. Amethyst didn’t know that she could ever be a soldier. 

 

But Pearl didn’t care what she was or wasn’t though. She’d practically begged Rose to let them “keep her”.  They’d been in an off and on relationship ever since Rose had met Greg. But Amethyst knew it wasn’t because Pearl liked her at all. It was just because P wanted to prove to Rose she didn’t care at all about her relationship with Greg in an attempt to make Rose jealous. Amethyst was just the convenient choice. 

 

“Amethyst! Amethyst!” Pearl was calling for her. Probably for another makeout sesh where she ended up sobbing about Rose half way through.

 

Weird though she sounded different. 

 

“Amethyst! Amethyst! Wake up! AMETHYST!” 

 

_ Wake up?  _

 

Steven shook her awake, his voice and face worried. 

 

“Oh hey Stevo, what up?” Amethyst asked, blinking sleep, yeah it was just sleep, not tears, from her eyes. 

 

“Amethyst you were crying in your sleep!” 

 

“Nah, bro, I just had something in my eye!” she said, wiping her arm on her sleeve before Steven could notice how wet her face was. 

 

Steven frowned at her. They were so close, there was no way he bought her lie. 

 

He obviously could tell she wasn’t going to talk about it though because while he frowned at her, he let it go. Amethyst felt a little bad. 

 

“Steven? Is Amethyst with you?” Pearl called from below Steven’s loft. She was doing something in the kitchen. 

 

Amethyst shook her head, not wanting to explain to  _ Pearl _ why’d she been crying in her sleep even less than she wanted to explain it to Steven. 

 

Steven either missed her head shake or ignored it, because he shouted, “Yeah she is! We were just coming down!” 

 

Amethyst groaned. Steven must know she was attempting to avoid Pearl after that dream-memory, and after everything that had started happening again ever since Pearl got that Mystery girl’s number.  She followed Steven to the kitchen. 

 

‘Amethyst!!” Pearl sing-songed. “I made you FOOD!” The taller gem clapped her hands together excitedly, and then turned around and grabbed a stack of pancakes. 

  
If Amethyst had been human her stomach would have grumbled. But she also knew exactly what Pearl was doing. She’d done it before. Obviously, that Mystery Girl had rejected her and she was back to her number one rebound: Amethyst. 

 

“Sorry, P, I’m not hungry,” Amethyst said. “I bet Steven’d like ‘em though.” 

 

Amethyst felt Steven and Pearl staring at her back as she sulked off into her room of the temple. She was probably being ridiculous, but she just didn’t want to be the second choice again. 

 

***

 

Pearl watched Amethyst go in a bit of a shock. 

 

“What did I do wrong?” she asked Steven, perplexed. 

 

Steven finished chewing a pancake. “I don’t know. You were just trying to be nice! Maybe she really just wasn’t hungry?” 

 

Pearl sighed, “I know that’s not it. Amethyst is almost always hungry.”

 

Steven shrugged. “She had some kind of a bad dream,” he said. “She doesn’t normally dream when she sleeps, since she doesn’t always actually sleep, but she did this time. She was crying, but she won’t admit it to me for some reason.” 

 

Pearl frowned. 

 

“Steven, I’m going into the temple for a while. Don’t get into any trouble,” she ordered. 

Pearl went into her own room. With a shudder of trepidation, Amethyst’s horribly messy room was well, horrible, she dove gracefully into the water that connected her room to Amethyst’s. 

 

The dive was graceful, her landing, however, was not. Pearl stood up, rubbing her backside. 

 

“Go away, P,” Amethyst’s voice came from a trash pile to Pearl’s left. “This is MY room.” 

 

“I’m not leaving until you tell me what that was all about this morning! I was  _ trying _ to do something nice for you, and you just...refused!” 

 

“I ain’t hungry,” Amethyst grumbled. 

 

Pearl rolled her eyes, “I know that’s not true! I can hear you eating something right now.”

 

Amethyst came out of her trash pile. Her face was streaked with tears. 

 

“Amethyst?” Pearl whispered. 

 

“I said, GO AWAY!” Amethyst shouted. The purple gem paused, and her voice softened. “I don’t wanna talk to you right now, ok?” 

 

She hiccuped. 

 

“Amethyst, is this about the dream Steven said you had? He said you woke up crying!” Pearl asked. 

 

Amethyst muttered something about meddling half-humans and said to Pearl, “Yeah it’s about the dream. Except it wasn’t just a dream, ya know?” 

 

Pearl opened her paused and waited for Amethyst to finish. 

 

“With everything that’s been going on between us lately, I started remembered what happened between us when Rose was...alive, and I just...I just…” 

 

Pearl winced knowing what was coming. 

 

“I don’t want you to break my heart again, P. You shattered it and it took me YEARS to get past it. And now Peri is going through the same thing, and I just... can’t do it again Pearl. Watching my best friend get her heart ripped out and thinking about what happened between you and me, it just makes it clear to me that I need to guard my heart, especially from you…”

Pearl was stunned. Amethyst hadn’t been that frank with her in a long while.

 

“Amethyst...I…” 

 

“Please get out of my room. I need some time to think, ok?” Amethyst said softly.

 

Pearl turned around and left, looking back at the small purple gem who had found such a significant place in her heart, before leaving the temple. She also had some thinking to do. 

 

***

 

It had been upwards of five hours since Pearl’s failed attempt at surprising Amethyst with breakfast, and the shorter gem still hadn’t reappeared in the temple. Steven was out doing who knows what, but he was texting her every few minutes to let her know he was fine. Garnet had a mission. And Amethyst...Amethyst was avoiding  _ her. _

 

Pearl wanted to say she didn’t know what she had done wrong. The unfortunate truth was that she knew  _ exactly _ what she’d done wrong and what the problem was. 

 

Their romance all those years ago had been a mistake. Not because Pearl didn’t like Amethyst but because she was knowingly using her friend to make Rose Quartz jealous. 

 

The night of the Mike Krol concert, Amethyst had been so encouraging. The purple gem thought Pearl was genuinely cool, not because she was trying to be but because of who she was. Their relationship had been really improving over the past several years. Amethyst wasn’t being intentionally antagonistic anymore and was acting more mature. Pearl, well, she was beginning to feel like she could relax and cut loose more. 

 

But the night of the concert, after she’d gotten that girls number, Pearl starting seeing Amethyst a little differently. 

 

It was more than just an added level of maturity, or her older sister-like relationship with Steven. Amethyst began to stand out to Pearl in a way no gem, not even Rose, ever had. Amethyst was her equal, and had always acted as her equal, in a way that Rose, Garnet, Bismuth, no one else ever had. Pearl had always admired and looked up to Rose in a way that was certainly more than friendly, but it was definitely different than the way she looked at Amethyst now. 

  
She and Amethyst had spent the rest of that night together. Not really doing anything, just holding hands and looking at the stars. Pearl, of course, ruined it. She’d kissed Amethyst. Amethyst had laughed it off at the time, but obviously it had affected her more than she’d let on. Amethyst had told her to call the Mystery Girl, find out her name, go on a  _ date.  _ And she’d accept the kiss as a thank you. 

 

Pearl never did call the Mystery Girl. For some reason, she just kept replaying the kiss with Amethyst and trying to find a way to repeat it, and maybe have it go farther. Amethyst seemed to be letting herself be wooed, and they found themselves alone more often than they had in the recent past. The time they spent together was wonderful, though not inherently romantic.

 

Then Steven had been taken to Homeworld. 

It hadn’t been that long, but it had seemed like years. Pearl and Amethyst had ended up searching for something that could take them to Homeworld alone. Garnet had gone with Connie and Lion and Greg had bowed out, needing a break from the constant searching. They both spilled their guts about how worried they were about Steven, and how could he do something like this, and what was Homeworld doing to him. In her frantic bout of anxiety, Pearl had told Amethyst that she wished it was her up there instead of Steven. Amethyst had told her that under no circumstances was she ever to surrender herself to anyone, because Amethyst wasn’t powerful enough to shatter all the gems that might hurt Pearl. It was bad enough they had Steven. But from what Amethyst had heard about Homeworld, she’d bet a Pearl wouldn’t even get a trial. 

Pearl had been stunned by Amethyst’s frank declaration of protectiveness. There was a fierceness in her voice and face that was, quite frankly, as the humans would say: hot as hell. 

 

The moment had been tense and emotional and Pearl had kissed Amethyst again. This time, Amethyst didn’t laugh it off. She returned it and it became a little bit more than just a kiss. They stopped, remembering they were on a mission before any clothing came off, though Amethyst’s signature tank top had slid off her shoulder. 

 

And now? 

 

Pearl cursed herself. She was an idiot. Of course Amethyst would think that Pearl was using her again! Why wouldn’t she? Pearl had treated her poorly and it had put a damper on their relationship for years. Pearl’s timing was absolutely horrible. 

 

And now Amethyst would never trust her again. 

 

***

Amethyst balled up a wad of trash and threw it at another pile of trash. It wasn’t really improving her mood though. She just kept thinking about Pearl, and her dream, and the fact that maybe she was wrong and Pearl really did like her as more than a teammate and occasional rebound. 

 

“Arrrgh what’s WRONG with me?” she shouted into the emptiness of her room as she chucked an old TV as hard as she could. 

 

“Nothing is wrong with you Amethyst,” a familiar accented voice said from a trash pile in the direction Amethyst had thrown the TV.

 

Garnet stepped out from behind a trash pile, the TV in her hands.

“Garnet! What are you doing in  _ my  _ room?” Amethyst demanded. “This is MY room, and everyone keeps barging in!” 

 

“That’s not important. What is important is that you are avoiding something you should be doing,” the fusion said, placing the TV on the ground next to Amethyst and sitting on it. 

 

“I am not!” the purple gem denied. 

 

Garnet ignored her. 

 

“Pearl has been staying in the kitchen all afternoon waiting for you to come out,” Garnet said. “She’s distraught that you won’t talk to her.” 

 

“I guess she can deal then, because I don’t wanna talk to her,” Amethyst grumbled. 

 

“You should, I think you’ll be surprised,” Garnet said, removing her sunglasses to fix Amethyst with a sympathetic three-eyed stare. “You know I know more than most, my future vision allows me to see possible futures, and in this case all I’m getting is flashes of you and Pearl, either talking to each other or not, but it’s all you and Pearl. This fight you’re having, it’s important.” 

 

Amethyst rolled her eyes. Trust Garnet to go all “future vision” on her. 

 

“Think about it, Amethyst. Your choices here affect more than just you. And trust me love takes work.” 

 

Amethyst was about to protest that this had nothing to do with love, but Garnet had already leaped into the air, and was about to walk out the door. 

 

“Think about it Amethyst!” she called. 

 

Amethyst sighed. Why did Garnet always have to make so much sense? 

 

***

Pearl sat at the kitchen counter, her hands laced together and looking at the ceiling. She was, for a gem who had often been praised for her intellect, an absolute moron. WHY was she doing this to Amethyst? The smaller gem deserved to be happy and Pearl had obviously, what was the phrase that was somehow related to baseball? Thrown her a curveball. 

 

“I’ll just have to tell her how I actually feel,” Pearl declared out loud.

 

“Tell who how ya feel?” a familiar voice asked. Pearl whipped around to see the temple door opening and Amethyst standing there. Pearl’s cheeks flared light blue. 

 

“AMETHYST!” Pearl declared. “Oh, you startled me, I didn’t even hear the temple door open! Are you ok? I am so sorry for this morning and for everything else. I should make you some, oh, what time is it? Dinner! Whatever you want to eat, I’ll even get you some motor oil, we should have some laying around. Oh I just feel so  _ awful! _ Let me... “ 

 

“PEARL!” Amethyst cut her babble short. “Calm down, ok? I came out here to talk to you, but I can’t do that if you’re babbling like an idiot.” 

 

Pearl was about to continue and then closed her mouth. Amethyst was right, she was babbling like an idiot. 

 

“Now, then, can I talk? Amethyst asked, a little annoyed, but she was smiling so that was a good sign right? “Garnet invaded my privacy a little after you did. She told me I should come talk to you. At first, I didn’t really want to, because Garnet always has to be right, you know? But I changed my mind because, well, because you really mean a lot to me Pearl, and I don’t like fighting with you like this. It’s not our normal anymore you know? And, well, P?” Amethyst paused and looked at Pearl before continuing. “I...well I can’t handle it if you’re going to string me along. If that’s not what you’re doing, then…” Amethyst took a breath. 

“If that’s not what you’re doing than I, I really want to, I mean what I’m trying to say is, well…” Amethyst’s cheeks turned purple. “P, I love you. Like, a lot. Kinda always have.  And if you feel the same, I mean, really feel the same, then I want to try to be with you. But if you’re just using me to get over Rose, or get past some girl who vaguely looks like Rose, then I need to know now. I can’t get my heart ripped out. I said that earlier. But I also can’t lose you as a friend because of my stupid feelings. So I guess what I need from you is confirmation: do you like me as something other than a friend and a teammate and occasional rebound girl?” Amethyst looked at Pearl almost pleadingly. 

 

Pearl took a breath. She opened her mouth to say ‘yes, I love you and I want to be with you.’ But for some reason, she couldn’t get the words out. She just stared at Amethyst, beautiful, wild Amethyst, her mouth hanging open like a fish.

 

Amethyst’s face fell.  _ Oh no, she thinks I’m rejecting her!  _ Pearl thought. Pearl tried to get the words out as she watched Amethyst’s expression get darker. 

 

“Amethyst, I, I, I” she managed. If she had a heart it would have been pounding. Panic rose in her chest. She was screwing this up even more. Why was she like this? 

 

“That’s what I thought,” the purple gem said quietly, and turned to leave. 

 

“Amethyst, wait!” Pearl shouted. Amethyst paused and clenched her fists. 

 

“I...the words aren’t coming, Amethyst. But I, please don’t leave!” 

Amethyst sighed. “If you can’t say it, you don’t mean it,” she said, her voice breaking. Pearl could tell her friend was on the verge of tears. She resumed walking out the door, and let it fall behind her. Not slamming, not stomping. Just gently letting the door fall without looking back. Pearl saw a flash of light and something take off. Amethyst had shape-shifted into an owl and had flown off. 

 

Pearl put her head in her hands. 

 

Now what?


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After fighting with Pearl, Amethyst goes to a friend for help

Amethyst stormed out of the temple. It always had to be the same with Pearl! She was never gonna get over Rose, and she couldn't let Amethyst be happy either. Amethyst didn't even know why she  _liked_ Pearl! 

"Guess it's just one more way I'm not normal," Amethyst growled. She didn't mean it. She'd gotten over her defectiveness when she'd met the Amethysts at the human zoo. They accepted her as one of them and she'd accepted herself as she was. 

Pearl brought out the worst in her, she guessed. 

Before long Amethyst realized she was stalking around Beach City and getting looks from the boardies. Kiki Pizza quickly ran into her families pizza shop and shut the door, casting fearful glances at Amethyst. 

 

"Whoops," Amethyst said out loud. She was usually the most approachable of the Crystal Gems. Well, besides Steven. And she liked the humans. They got her better than the Gems did at times. She didn't want to scare them. 

 

"Amethyst?" someone said behind her. Amethyst turned. Peridot was coming up behind her. 

 

"Greetings Amethyst! I see you are also exploring Beach City today!" the small green gem greeted her. 

 

"Oh, hey Peri," Amethyst said, trying unconvincingly to sound like her usual self. The last thing she wanted was for Peridot to pick up on  _her_ drama when she'd been dealing with her own crap. 

"No clever nickname? And the expression on your face would suggest that you are not experiencing positive emotions....Amethyst, are you "okay?" Peridot asked her, for some reason feeling the need to put air quotes around the word okay. 

Amethyst sighed. She didn't want to burden Peridot with her Pearl-drama. But the green gem had gotten a little too good at picking up on others emotions and needs. 

 

"Not really, P-dog. Long story," she said, trying to shrug it off. 

"I have time. Amethyst, would you like to talk about it?" the other gem asked. 

 

Amethyst did want to talk about it, and it sounded like Peridot wasn't going to give up on getting it out of her. 

 

"Yeah, I guess I kind of do," Amethyst said. "Is there some place we can go where other people won't eavesdrop?" 

"Well, not really, but Fish Stew Pizza seems pretty busy, people probably won't notice us," Peridot said, grabbing Amethyst's hand and pulling her toward the pizza place. 

Amethyst sighed and let Peridot drag her. 

  
After they were seated and got the pizza Peridot had insisted on ordering, and paying for, though Amethyst had no idea where she'd gotten money, the green gem fixed her friend with a stare. 

"Alright Amethyst, spill the tea," Peridot said.

Amethyst almost spit out her pizza. It was kind of hilarious when Peridot used phrases she'd learned on the internet. She swallowed and cleared her throat, not wanting Peri to notice she was about to laugh at her. She was feeling better already. 

"Alright, like I said it's kind of a long story," Amethyst explained. 

Peridot folded her hands together like a psychiatrist in a movie. 

"Like  _I_ said, I have time," she said, with an uncharacteristic patience. 

Amethyst inhaled. Not that she had to, but it still made her feel better. 

"Well, a long time ago Pearl and I had a relationship and well, it didn't end well because we were pursuing it for the wrong reasons and lately Pearl's been showing some interest in me again but I think it's just because she didn't get anywhere with that mystery girl she met at the concert and I really think she just wants to be with me so she won't be alone and I told her I love her and oh my stars I told her I loved her!" Amethyst spat out, turning a darker purple. "Err, so yeah...I guess I'm kinda depressed because Pearl basically rejected me." 

Peridot was silent for a minute. 

"Did Pearl actually  _say_ she didn't return your feelings?" she finally asked. 

"Well, no, but she as good as said it. She just stood there with her mouth hanging open like some kind of fish monster! And then she tried to say she couldn't get the words out and to me that just means she doesn't mean it," Amethyst explained. 

"Maybe you should give her a chance to talk," Peridot said, much more subdued than normal. "I...I guess I know what can happen when two people who care about each other don't talk about the things that are bothering them. La....well you know what happened. I don't want to see my best friend fall into the same kind of problem with someone she cares for." 

Amethyst winced. She hated to make Peridot think about Lapis right now. 

"Hey Peri, sorry for bringing up your crap, I shouldn't have told you," Amethyst said.

"Nonsense!" Peridot declared. "You helped me when I didn't even want it. You're my best friend and friends help each other!" 

Amethyst smiled. She was lucky to have a friend like Peridot. 

"Ok, Miss Genius, what's the plan?" Amethyst asked her friend. 

***

Pearl banged her head repeatedly on the wall. She. Was. A. MORON! Why couldn't she just  _say_ that Amethyst meant so much to her? It wasn't like she was being forced into silence on this one, she was physically capable of saying the words. But she'd just stood there. Shocked a little at Amethyst's confession but more shocked at herself. 

She was so terrible at this. 

First she used Amethyst to make Rose jealous, then she'd pursued her when Amethyst thought she was interested in someone else. Of  _course_ Amethyst thought she was the second choice! What else would she think?

"Pearl?" a young voice called from the door. Steven stood there looking worried

"Oh Steven! I thought you were with Connie!" Pearl chirped, trying to look and sound cheerful. 

"I was. I bumped into Amethyst and Peridot on the boardwalk. Pearl, Amethyst told me something happened, though she wouldn't say what. She asked me to tell you she'd like you to come into town. Maybe meet her at Funland?" Steven explained, still looking concerned. 

 

"Oh I don't know Steven...she seemed pretty upset," she protested. She  _really_ didn't want to drag Steven into this. 

"Ok, then...I want to go to Funland with you!" Steven insisted. 

Pearl sighed. Steven could be so determined. 

 

"Well alright but I'm not promising anything about Amethyst," Pearl said, rubbing her long nose. 

Steven grinned. "Ok great! Let's go now!" He grabbed her hand. She let him pull her towards the door, thinking. 

_I should apologize to Amethyst at least...it's a pity I'm so useless._

 

"Ok Pearl, listen," Steven was saying. "You and Amethyst need to make up. Even if it's not what she wants I think you need to apologize and tell her how you really feel. I know you and Amethyst aren't really very good at that, but I think you both need to. Even if it's just for the sake of the Crystal Gems." 

"You're right, Steven...I should apologize," she said. "I messed up, more than once, and I...I don't want to lose Amethyst's friendship, it really means a lot to me." 

 

"That's the spirit Pearl!" Steven cheered, grinning. 

 

They walked together toward the boardwalk. 

 

"Hey, Pearl?" Steven asked after a few moments of silence. 

"Hmm??" 

"Do you have feelings for Amethyst?? Like...you did for my mom?" 

 

Pearl paused. She wasn't really sure how to answer that. 

 

"I...I think I'm still figuring out how I feel, Steven. Everything about falling for Amethyst is new to me. Even with the feelings I had...have...for your mother." 

 

Steven squeezed her hand in a silent gesture of support. Pearl smiled. He was so young but Steven was someone special and she was lucky to have him in her life, no matter what she thought about Rose... leaving them. 

"We're here!" Steven announced, breaking through the silent moment. 

 

They were indeed "here". Funland was a bit garish for Pearl's taste and certainly not ideal for a private conversation, but she was trying to be accomodating to Amethyst. 

 

"Come on Pearl! Amethyst and Peridot said they'd wait by the ferris wheel!" Steven said, pulling her in that general direction. 

 

Pearl gulped. Was Amethyst planning on talking to her on a ferris wheel? Where neither of them could escape? Like some terrible human television cliche???

 

Pearl followed Steven, trying to dodge the occasional human child that stepped in front of her. Why were there so many humans here today? Funland wasn't normally too crowded. Maybe it was her nerves.  Pearl bumped into someone. 

  
"Hey P," someone said. 

_Amethyst._

_"_ Oh Amethyst!! Surprised to see you here!!!" Pearl stammered. Amethyst rolled her eyes.

"Come on P, I asked Steven to bring you," Amethyst said. She was hiding behind her hair. 

 

"Oh right of course," Pearl stammered. "Amethyst, I wanted to tell you I'm really sorry for not being able to...say what you wanted to hear earlier. And for..well...." she trailed off. 

"Nah, don't sweat it, Pierogi, let's just go have fun, k?"   
  
"Wait what? Steven said you wanted to talk?" 

"Well, I do, but me and Peri are gonna see if we can sneak her on the roller coaster. And you know, since you're a badass rebel and everything, me and 'Dot thought you'd might like to help!" 

"Amethyst! Language! But...I supposed I'd be ok with helping." 

"Ok, here's the plan. Peridot is gonna ride on my shoulders and I'm gonna wear THIS!" Amethyst pulled out a ridiculously large coat. Pearl had no clue where she'd gotten that given that she'd last seen the purple gem storming out of the temple.

"Ok..." Pearl started but Amethyst held up a hand. 

"Only problem is...I can't see. I'm gonna shapeshift myself tall and Peri's just gonna be my head. But imma need someone to lead me around. So you get to hold my hand ok?" Amethyst grinned at her. 

"H-hold your hand?" Pearl asked. She could feel herself blushing at the suggestion. Amethyst's cheeks also looked a little darker than usual. Or maybe that was just the shadow of the ferris wheel.

  
"You down, P? Of course, I could always get Steven to do it, but he's gonna follow behind us so Peridot has someone to ride with when she gets off my shoulders. It's a delicate operation so I figured you'd be perfect for leading me around. You know, since you're so careful!" 

 

Pearl blushed again. She never would have agreed to this ridiculous plan a few months ago. Rules were there for a reason... but lately she'd been questioning that and it seemed like she and Amethyst both enjoyed being around the other one when Pearl relaxed a little more and Amethyst took some things a little more seriously. 

"Alright, I'm IN!" Pearl declared. 

Amethyst let out a cackle. "Awesome, P! Hey, Peri, Steven, Pearl's in!" 

Peridot and Steven walked over to them. Peridot looked excited but Steven looked concerned. He looked at Pearl quizzically. Ah, it wasn't the plan he had an issue with. Pearl was going to get to the talk...later. 

Right now...well, Pearl and the "Shorty Squad" were about to pull one over on Mr. Smiley that might cause him to have an aneurysm if he found out. 

A few minutes later Pearl was regretting her decision to get involved. They'd ducked behind one of the snack stalls so that they wouldn't be seen, and Peridot was having trouble maintaining her balance on Amethyst's shoulders. 

"Wrap your legs around my neck, Peri!" Amethyst ordered. "Ouch, don't squeeze so hard! Did you wrap your legs around Lapis like this, OW!" 

Peridot had wacked Amethyst on the head with a flying spoon.

"Amethyst this is reckless and dangerous and although my superior intellect will undoubtedly make it work, you are making it very DIFFICULT!" Peridot complained. Pearl and Steven could just watch the utter ridiculousness of this unfold. 

"Pearl, Stevo, put the coat on us, I think Dot's finally stable!" Amethyst declared. 

Pearl and Steven rushed to help them put on the coat. It dragged the ground until Amethyst shapeshifted, her form growing tall enough that her arms fit through the holes and the coat hovered above her ankles. Of course, with their combined height they looked absurdly tall. Pearl grabbed Amethyst's hand as she'd been instructed. 

"Ok, P, don't let us bump into anything! Steven, you in position! Pearl, tell me which way to turn. Peridot, don't be obvious!" 

Pearl thought they couldn't be anymore obvious. Or that SHE could be anymore obvious. She was chattering like an agitated songbird. "Oh turn here, my what a lovely day! Have you ever seen Funland being quite this...fun??"  It didn't help that Amethyst's hand was warm and she was blushing again. Amethyst squeezed her hand. "Oh look we're here at the roller coaster, do you want to ride?" 

Peridot nodded. For once the green technician hadn't said a word. Just nodded and frowned at strangers. Pearl suspected Peridot was just as nervous as she was herself.

"We'd like to ride the roller coaster please!" Pearl found herself saying to Mr. Smiley who was manning the gate. He looked suspiciously at Peridot and Amethyst. 

"She's a new gem!" Steven piped up. "We uh...just met her!" 

"Yes," Peridot said. "I am, um, a new Crystal Gem!" 

Smiley kept staring at them, his never faltering smile piercing into Pearl's nerves like a spear point. 

"Alright, y'all come on through!" he finally said. Pearl felt herself exhale.

They all climbed into the roller coaster. Amethyst through the coat off at a dismayed Funland worker and they got in their cars. Steven with Peridot and Amethyst with Pearl. 

Mr. Smiley saw right as the arms came down an the roller coaster took started moving. Pearl could tell he was not pleased, despite the smile plastered on his face. 

Amethyst cackled beside her. Pearl heard Peridot behind them laugh as well, Pearl glanced behind her. Peridot was sticking her tongue out at Mr. Smiley and pulling down her lower eyelid. Pearl laughed. This was actually pretty fun. 

Amethyst beside her grabbed Pearl's hand unexpectedly. 

"You can hold my hand if you get scared, P," Amethyst said. 

"I am a gem rebel, I'm hardly going to get scared of a measly roller coaster!" Pearl boasted. They were climbing a hill at a snail's pace. Weren't roller coasters supposed to be fast?

They reached the top and then Pearl realized why Amethyst thought she might get scared. They began plummeting in this rickety human contraption. 

Pearl gripped Amethyst's hand as tight as she could. 

Amethyst had her other hand in the air and was whooping. 

Pearl screamed. Roller coasters were HORRIBLE! Why any human would want to go on something that hurtled them towards the ground so quickly she couldn't even fathom. 

Then again....

Amethyst beside her practically glowed with exhilaration. It really was thrilling, Pearl supposed, to fly around corners like this, especially holding Amethyst's hand like this. 

The coaster finally came to a stop. 

Mr. Smiley greeted them at the bottom, the smile on his face vaguely menacing. 

"Y'all are banned from the roller coaster! I told y'all, you can't get on if you're short!" 

Amethyst, Peridot and Steven all started laughing and ran away from Mr. Smiley. Amethyst pulled Pearl along behind her. 

Minutes later, Amethyst was eating several corn dogs, sticks and all, and Pearl was just watching her. Not the most pleasant thing but they were getting along and not yelling at each other. Peridot and Steven were riding the carousel and suspiciously left Pearl and Amethyst alone. I guess Steven decided she'd put off talking to Amethyst long enough with. 

Pearl thought talking might be useless in this situation though. Amethyst seemed pretty content to just go right back to the way things were before. Maybe she was putting on a front? 

Pearl had a thought...what if...she leaned in and wrapped her arm around Amethyst's neck. The shorter gem swallowed the last of her corndog and turned to Pearl in surprise. Pearl kissed Amethyst firmly. Amethyst started to pull away but then deepened it. The kiss was in front of everyone at Funland...she should stop. She pulled back. Amethyst looked confused and a little hurt. 

"P...you can't just randomly kiss me and then freak out." 

"I'm not freaking out, I'm just...Amethyst, people are staring!" 

"Also we still haven't talked it out or whatever..." Amethyst murmured. 

"Err...right of course, we should talk!" 

 

"I know I already told you how I feel and then you sat there like an idiot and couldn't tell me how you feel too. That really hurt, P. Like, a lot. I get it, I caught you off guard and I guess storming out was a little bit unfair. But, I mean. It's not like you haven't burned me before." 

Pearl winced. She really should start with apologizing to Amethyst about the past. 

"Amethyst....what I did...back then. It wasn't right, I never should have treated you that way. I'm so sorry." 

"Thanks for saying it. I guess I just need to see it too." 

"Of course, um...what can I do?" 

"Just, I don't know, if you like me say so if you don't say so." 

"Amethyst. I do like you, I just don't know if I'm, you know...in love with you." 

Amethyst paused. Pearl was scared she'd said the wrong thing. 

 

"Ok," the purple gem said. "I guess you still need time, that's...fine I guess." 

They sat in silence for a moment. 

"Hey, I value your friendship too, so if ya want to friendzone me that's ok," Amethyst said suddenly. "You just can't also kiss me randomly. Plus you know I don't really trust people's feelings about me, so I just gotta be sure you aren't playing me again." 

 

"Ok. I will...avoid random kissing in the future," Pearl said, blushing. 

Amethyst grinned at her. Pearl smiled back. They really were having a good time together. Why'd she have to go and ruin it with another kiss? 

 


End file.
